There’s a new Sherriff in town! Hamzah Sheeraz stops Edgar Berlanga in super-middleweight debut
Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz made a huge statement in his step up to super-middleweight with a destructive fifth-round stoppage victory against highly-regarded Puerto Rican Edgar Berlanga in New York on July 12.
In the other co-main event, Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC lightweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over William Zepeda.
British boxer Sheeraz, 26, knocked Berlanga down twice in the fourth round and again at the start of the fifth to force the referee to end the fight.
The impressive victory, which was a WBC super-middleweight eliminator, improves Sheeraz’s record to 22-0, with one draw and 18 wins inside the distance.
It was the Briton’s first fight since his disappointing draw against WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in February, putting in an uncharacteristic under-par performance which prompted his move up to 168lbs.
Undisputed challenger Berlanga’s record is now 23-2 after a second defeat in three fights, with March’s stoppage of Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz preceded by a unanimous points defeat by the super-middleweight ruler, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Sheeraz vs Berlanga was a WBC super-middleweight final eliminator, meaning that Frank Warren’s young protégé is now mandatory to Canelo, depending on which of the governing bodies are first in line.
Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda
Meanwhile, Stevenson comfortably won on all three judges’ scorecards against Zepeda to make a third defence of his WBC lightweight title.
Two judges scored the bout 118-110 and a third saw it 119-109 for the 28-year-old American, who improved his unbeaten record to 24-0 with 11 knockouts.
It was a first career defeat for Mexican Zepeda, 29, whose record is now 33-1.
Undercard
The card was held at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, one of the show courts at Flushing Meadows, host venue of the US Open tennis.
Also on the card, Subriel Matias took the WBC world super-lightweight title away from Alberto Puello via a mixed decision. Turki Alalshikh announced that the new champion, Matias, will defend his new green and gold belt to Briton Dalton Smith on November 22 in Riyadh.
David Morrell Jr. climbed off the canvas in round five to secure a split decition victory over unbeaten Imam Khataev.